Stars edge Mudcats, 5-4

ZEBULON -- Lou Palmisano's ninth-inning groundout broke a 4-4 tie as Huntsville beat Carolina for the ninth straight time, 5-4, at Five County Stadium on Monday night.

Carolina (14-24) lost its fourth straight game, and had to surprisingly start Jarrett Santos ahead of Rick Vanden Hurk. Santos, who had thrown 41/3 innings over three appearances in the last four days, was forced into making his first professional start when Vanden Hurk fell ill a few hours before the game.

Santos pitched four valiant innings, permitting two runs and four hits. Blake McGinley relieved in the fifth, working 22/3 innings of scoreless baseball.

Brett Hayes hit his first Double-A homer in the second inning against starter Adam Pettyjohn. Pettyjohn worked six innings, allowing two hits and three runs, but was in line for the loss until the first-place Stars (19-17) tied the game in the eighth.

Hitting against reliever Craig Molldrem, the Stars loaded the bases on three consecutive walks to begin the inning. After retiring two hitters, Molldrem saw Raleigh native Ulyses Davenport lash a tying single to center to make it 4-4.